A friend or foe?

She sat frozen, trembling as she stared at me, covered in blood. Her eyes were wide with terror. I took a cautious step forward and spoke softly.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you. What's your name?"

She didn't answer. I extended a hand instead. "Come with me. My home is close by. You can rest there."

Still hesitant, she finally reached out and took my hand. I led her back to the hut. When my old man saw her, he sighed and shook his head.

"I told ya not to cause trouble, ya little brat," he muttered. "But if ya had ignored her, I'd have been disappointed."

He took her inside to clean up and change, while I headed to the river to wash off the blood.